Grocer, 70, murdered in Essequibo home

Popular grocer Victor Winston Warner was found battered and strangled in the bottom flat of his Richmond Village, Essequibo Coast home shortly after 03:00 hrs yesterday.
The 70-year-old’s body was discovered in a pool of blood near a refrigerator by two of Warner’s grandsons who live in the top flat. Duct-tape was wrapped around his head, while a hammer and spanner were near the corpse.
The killers are believed to have carted off a bag of jewellery,and a relative said that cash, cell phones and phone cards were also missing.
There was no sign of forced entry, and police suspect that the killers used a key to enter the premises via the back door. A key that was kept in the shop is reportedly missing.
One suggestion is that Warner was attacked while he was packing beverages into his refrigerator.
Warner had been running his shop for at least 40 years. Gail Ann Warner, the victim’s sister, said family members made the gruesome discovery after a visitor came to her father’s residence and called out for him.
According to Ms. Warner, the visitor’s calls awakened her two nephews, Navin and Kevin, who occupy the top flat.They then went to check on their grandfather and eventually made the gruesome discovery.
Ms. Warner, who lived obliquely opposite to her brother’s house, said she last saw him alive at around 20:00 hrs on Wednesday when she went to take a meal for him.
One of the slain man’s step-sisters revealed that Warner was adopted by her father when he was just 15 years old. She said her late father brought Warner to the Essequibo Coast as a lad after finding him wandering by the Stabroek Market.
Police ranks from Georgetown are assisting in the investigation.